2 pedestrians hospitalized hours after Alberta announces review of Traffic Safety Act
CBC News | Posted: December 9, 2015 3:51 PM | Last Updated: December 9, 2015
More than one pedestrian injured in Calgary per day, on average, according to police statistics
Two pedestrians suffered serious injuries on Calgary streets on the same day the Alberta government revealed it's reviewing the Traffic Safety Act with an eye to make the province safer for walking.
"It's currently underway and it addresses pedestrian safety," Infrastructure Minister Brian Mason said of the review, adding new legislation may include stiffer penalties.
"We're looking at fines and demerit points for a variety of traffic violations, including those which involve pedestrians."
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Mason's remarks came in the legislature Tuesday, in response to a question from Calgary-Bow MLA Deborah Drever, who noted that more than 400 pedestrians were struck and injured in Calgary, alone, in 2014.
Across Alberta last year, 1,245 pedestrians were injured on roads and highways, according to data from the provincial government.
Another 45 were killed.
Two serious collisions in two hours
The discussion in the legislature came hours before two more pedestrians were seriously injured in Calgary in strikingly similar circumstances.
Police said a 27-year-old woman suffered serious injuries when she was hit in Midnapore while crossing in a crosswalk by a driver who fled the scene.
The suspect vehicle is described as a dark-coloured pickup truck that will likely have noticeable damage on the front, passenger side.
Two hours later, another 27-year-old-woman was hit in Sunridge, also while crossing in a crosswalk, by a 59-year-old man who was also driving a pickup truck.
She was taken to hospital in critical condition.
The driver remained at the scene in that case, and police said charges are pending.
Seven deaths this year in Calgary
Seven pedestrians have been killed on city streets in 2015, according to police data.
Seven pedestrians were killed in Calgary in all of 2014.
Police said there were 413 total pedestrian collisions from January to October 2015, down slightly from 439 during the same period last year.